Meds and weight

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Hi I was wondering has anyone gained a lot of weight from being on meds? My meds work wonders but I gained so much weight from them.

It has been the opposite for me. I weigh about 175 LBS, but I used to weigh close to 200 LBS. In actuality, I should be weighing closer to 150 LBS.

Other than possible increase in water retention or lethargy ( in which case discuss it with the doctor ) it's psychological, keep to your diet and you won't gain any weight. Medication might even help you to stick to a healthy diet.

I think it's common that people gain weight when on anti-depressants (although I don't know what meds the OP is referring to). I was always skinny but when I was on anti-depressants, which didn't help me at all, I noticed I easily gained weight. My acquaintance's sister ended up killing herself because of her med-related weight gain.

My anti-depressant has increased my hunger. After I came off Ritalin I still didn't have a normal appetite. The meds helped me eat more but now I'm finding myself more hungry and gaining weight. I also like to recline a bit more. I've been walking the dog twice everyday to see if it's possible to return to my normal weight.

that's what I do is try to eat healthy and walk but I keep feeling hungry like i'm ready to pass out. I am on 5 different types of medications too.

I gain weight on meds but I like it because I'm way to thin and can hardly eat when I don't take them.

"Meds" is such a broad category that there is no real answer. If you are gaining weight after being put on a medication, and you are not trying to gain weight (such as the person who is too thin) then you should definitely talk to your doctor. There may be another med that does not have that effect, or there may be things you can do to fight the weight gain. All medications have complex effects. That's why you need a prescription: Because only a trained doctor can assess whether the benefits are worth the drawbacks, and then monitor your progress to be sure the results are as desired. The monitoring is important, because it's never possible to know for sure how a medication will affect you. Tell your doctor about the weight gain. If your doctor is not sympathetic to the problem, go to a different doctor.

I a female friend on Anti depressives and some other stuff, not sure what. She went from a weight of 45 kg (she was not a big girl) to 80 kg. So some meds are insane on that front.

I've learnt that side effects usually over-ride any therapeutical effects when it comes to me and meds. My brain can even less deal with being fat than it can with being screwed up so gave up on 'brain meds' many, many yearso and never looked back since

I gained a lot of weight on Remeron/Mirtazapine because it made me really hungry & sleepy. I'd wake up, eat, go back to sleep after a couple hours, wake up after a couple hours & repeat the cycle.

It depends on what the medication is, some are infamous for causing weight gain by increasing appetite.

One example is Seroquil which was widely given to a large number of the patients on my unit. We were always so hungry that we began eating other peoples' meals and everything else we could find.

I'm on very strong anti-pain medication which is increasing my appetite for food. At the same time I'm on strict instructions from my doctor to reduce weight to reduce pressure on my spine. So medication may be affecting what you are eating or not eating, but increase in weight is directly related to increased food intake, not the actual medication.

I have gained a lot of weight on psych meds. I gained like 40 pounds when I took Abilify. I was only on it for like 2 months. I told the doctor to take me off it because of the side effects. I haven't been able to lose the weight either. My current psychiatrist said that the anti-depressant I'm on makes people gain weight. That might be the reason. Does anybody have any experience losing weight they gained from taking psych meds?

When I looked up Risperidon on psych forums, many patients said they lost the weight they gained on it when they no longer took it.

I do not have experience with weight gained on psych meds, but I do have experience with weight gain and loss. Losing weight is the hardest thing I've ever done, and one of the most rewarding.

Diets and supplements that promise easy weight loss are all scams. To lose weight you have to eat less than you burn, and your body desperately wants to keep that weight. Most diets fail because they are approached as temporary changes in your eating. Go on the diet, lose the weight, end of diet. Then you return to former habits and put the weight back on. You need to make permanent changes in lifestyle. Eat a balanced diet, not too many calories, and exercise. (If you are badly out of shape, consult a doctor before beginning exercise, and work up to it gradually.) You did not gain that weight overnight, you will not lose it overnight. Anything more than 2 pounds per week of weight loss is too much and is not healthy.

I found Weight watchers to be useful. They advocate a healthy balanced diet, and the meetings offer peer support and helpful hints. But you still have to do it yourself.

Michael Pollan's advice is good: Eat food, mostly plants, not too much.

Meds can affect your appetite and your metabolism, but once you are off the meds, I doubt that losing the weight is any more difficult than it is for anyone else. It just is very, very hard. But it's well worth it, to be able to do all the things that excessive weight prevents you from being able to do. My favorite thing in the world is hiking in the mountains. It is SOOOO much more fun when I am at a healthy weight.

Good luck.